Our English "Cousins"

Perry Hall was named by Harry Dorsey Gough for his family's estate in Perry Barr, a ward of Birmingham, England. 

Perry Barr is located in the northwestern corner of the city, which itself is in a part of England called the West Midlands.  There are approximately 22,700 residents in the community.  Perry Barr is home to the University of Central England, the One Stop Shopping Centre, and the Alexander Stadium. The Greyhound Stadium is also at Perry Barr.   To the right, you will see a picture of the original Perry Hall castle, which had originally been built in 1569.  Unable to maintain both "Perry Hall" and another castle, "Aston Hall," the city demolished "Perry Hall" in 1928.   Today, the area where the castle once stood is a large park known as the Perry Hall Playing Fields.

In 2004, member PHIA David Marks made contact with community leaders in Perry Barr.  Proclamations from then-Governor Robert Ehrlich, Senator Kathy Klausmeier, Delegate Joe Boteler, and then-Delegate John Cluster were sent to our English "cousins," along with one of the Perry Hall history books.  The gifts were acknowledged at a ceremony at Perry Barr's public library, where a display described "the two Perry Halls."  In the photograph to the right, the librarian, lord mayor, and city councilors acknowledge the citations. 

For more information on the ceremony at the Perry Barr library, visit this Web Site.  For more information on Perry Barr, England, go here.  Additionally, this Web Site has photographs of the Perry Hall Playing Fields where the castle once stood.